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Sustainable Sport Development: The Influence of Competitive-Grouping and Relative Age on the Performance of Young Triathletes

Author

Listed:
  • Alberto Ferriz-Valero

    (Department of General and Specifics Didactics, University of Alicante; 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
    Department of General and Specifics Didactics, Research Group in Physical Education, Fitness and Performance, University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain)

  • Salvador García Martínez

    (Department of General and Specifics Didactics, University of Alicante; 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
    Department of General and Specifics Didactics, Research Group in Physical Education, Fitness and Performance, University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain)

  • Javier Olaya-Cuartero

    (Faculty of Health Sciences, Isabel I University, 09003 Burgos, Spain)

  • Miguel García-Jaén

    (Department of General and Specifics Didactics, University of Alicante; 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
    Department of General and Specifics Didactics, Research Group in Physical Education, Fitness and Performance, University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain)

Abstract

Competitive-grouping by chronological age is a common organizational strategy in competition which may unintentionally promote relative age effects, for the benefit of older individuals within the same competitive-group, especially in young athletes. This work presents the aim of analyzing differences in young triathletes on their performance within each competitive group. A total of 1243 entries of both sexes, both children—13–14 years old—and cadets—15–17 years old—participated. Firstly, we identified the year in the competitive group and relative-age semester for all the triathletes who competed in a total of six seasons from 2013 to 2018. Secondly, the performance indicator was calculated in all the segments in a triathlon competition for all triathletes. The Kruskal-Wallis Test and U Mann Whitney Test was applied. It was observed that all cadet triathletes born in the first semester of the year (S1, born in January–June) were faster; for both boys and girls. Likewise, it was observed that older triathletes who competed within the same category were faster, but only in males and for both competitive groups: children ( p < 0.0083), and cadet ( p < 0.0033). In conclusion, families, coaches and sports political agencies need a greater knowledge and understanding of the effects of relative age and competitive grouping to understand the important role of age in the development of sports talent demonstrated in this study.

Suggested Citation

  • Alberto Ferriz-Valero & Salvador García Martínez & Javier Olaya-Cuartero & Miguel García-Jaén, 2020. "Sustainable Sport Development: The Influence of Competitive-Grouping and Relative Age on the Performance of Young Triathletes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-13, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:17:p:6792-:d:402198
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christian Thue Bjørndal & Live S Luteberget & Kevin Till & Simen Holm, 2018. "The relative age effect in selection to international team matches in Norwegian handball," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(12), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Michael Romann & Stephen Cobley, 2015. "Relative Age Effects in Athletic Sprinting and Corrective Adjustments as a Solution for Their Removal," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-12, April.
    3. Miguel Saavedra-García & Marcos Matabuena & Antonio Montero-Seoane & Juan J Fernández-Romero, 2019. "A new approach to study the relative age effect with the use of additive logistic regression models: A case of study of FIFA football tournaments (1908-2012)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(7), pages 1-12, July.
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